Last Updated on July 7, 2023 by
Alternative to Meds Editorial Team
Medically Reviewed by Dr Samuel Lee MD
Table of Contents:
- Holistic Treatment Success for Mal de Debarquement Syndrome May be Possible
- Struggling with Medication Issues, Mental Health Problems, or MdDS?
- We Provide Science-based, Safe Treatment for Relief from Mal de Debarquement-type Symptoms
- Don’t Fall into a Cycle of Prescription Medicating and Doctor Visits
- We Employ Holistic, Drug-free Approaches to Stabilize the Brain and Body
Holistic Treatment Success May be Possible for Mal de Debarquement Type Symptoms
Alternative to Meds Center is excited to share some hopeful news regarding our holistic treatment for symptoms related to Mal de Debarquement Syndrome ( MdDS ). Since Hippocrates first mentioned the condition in early medical literature,1 we’ve come a long way. It’s not at all uncommon to experience a couple of hours of subjectively perceived motion after a boating trip or a lengthy flight, 2 common examples. As the Mal de Debarquement Foundation says, MdDS makes you feel like you’re still on the boat! What is rarer is that for some, these sensations do not abate and can linger for months.8,9
The center provides a holistic, science-based approach to investigating underlying factors associated with a person’s unwanted symptoms. Sometimes prescription drugs have been used to suppress these, but of course, cannot eliminate them. Treating debarkment sickness-type symptoms with benzodiazepines or antidepressants is sometimes chosen for treatment. However, this can invite the possibility of addiction and other undesirable outcomes.7,9 If prescription drugs have become more problematic than useful, we offer inpatient comprehensive medication withdrawal tapering. Prescription medication is not typically effective in the long-term treatment of MdDS. You may have been led to believe that the only answer to your mental or physical health symptoms lies in prescription medications. This is FALSE! Many holistic treatment approaches are available. Are you caught in a routine of visiting doctors and taking prescription drugs, but you are still suffering? Read the success story below written by a client who came to us on prescription medications with MdDS symptoms and who left our care, free of symptoms and medications.
Not everyone experiences the same symptom or set of symptoms. Medical literature describes quite a wide range of possible symptoms of Mal de Debarquement, as listed below.1-9
Symptoms of Mal de Debarquement can include:
- Lingering sensation of personal motion after traveling by ship, car, train, plane, etc.
- Bobbing, swaying, rocking sensations though the body is not actually moving
- Unsteadiness, loss of balance
- Dizziness
- Anxiety
- Emotional distress
- Fatigue
- Visual disturbances
- Headache, migraine
- Sleep disturbances
- Short-term memory loss
- Confusion
- Ear-related symptoms: tinnitus, impaired hearing, pain
Struggling with Medication Issues, Mental Health Problems, or MdDS?
Mal de Débarquement syndrome, also known as disembarkment syndrome or MdDS, is an uncommon condition of lingering perceived movement after disembarking from an ocean cruise, extensive auto, air, train, or boat travel, or other movement experience. Mal de Débarquement is a French phrase that means disembarkation sickness. The main diagnostic “tell” is a rocking, swaying, or bobbing sensation, also described as similar to the spinning sensation of vertigo. Some people develop MdDS unexpectedly when they have not experienced a prior motion event, some have reported symptoms after surgery, and others are simply puzzled why this happened. It has been established that the condition is found more frequently in women than men.2 Mal de Debarquement symptoms include a feeling of motion that is typically associated with imbalance, fatigue, and cognitive impairment and can include short-term loss of memory, lack of ability to remember words and lack of ability to multi-task. Surprisingly perhaps, these sensations tend to abate for some when they get back into motion again, but the symptoms return whenever they wish to be still, as in sitting or trying to sleep. There are other reports of the condition only returning when in motion, and abating when still. In yet other cases, the condition appears to be episodic, starting and stopping at what seem to be random times. It is no wonder that this relentless sensation of “land sickness” can be debilitating and frustrating to live with.
We Provide Science-based, Safe, Holistic Treatment for Mal de Debarquement-type Symptoms
The severity of symptoms varies substantially between patients. Some persons will feel mild and short-lived discomfort. For others, the symptoms of Mal de Debarquement can be so severe that they can significantly disable the person. In some cases, MdDS can continue for years. A single cause for the condition has never been found. Additionally, and quite unfortunately, misdiagnoses are fairly common.4 Prescription medication is usually prescribed for MdDS, however, is usually not considered effective beyond reducing the stress caused by having these strange sensations arise, sometimes at random times.5 At Alternative to Meds Center, we may be able to offer some assistance to people suffering symptoms of MdDS including medication tapering, holistic medication alternatives, and naturopathic (non-drug-based) mental health treatments.
Alternative to Meds Center’s objective is to achieve lasting relief from mental health problems, as well as any medication-related issues. We are pleased to present holistic treatment options. Effective, lasting solutions for each of our clients are provided with an entirely individualized therapy program. 
